1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to synthetic grass surfaces and, more particularly, to a synthetic grass sport surface suited for ball games, such as baseball, cricket, golf and any sport that has a ball landing or rolling on the surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Synthetic grass sport surfaces are well known. They are used to replace natural grass surfaces which do not stand up well to wear and which require a great deal of maintenance.
In ball games, such as baseball, cricket, soccer, tennis and golf, one concern has always been to provide a synthetic grass surface which would virtually not affect the travelling direction of a ball rolling thereon, but which would still closely emulate the appearance of natural grass. A ball must roll true in any direction. The means employed to provide the appearance of natural grass must not affect the preferred non-directional properties of the synthetic grass.
Another concern is the provision of a synthetic grass sport surface having a layer of infill particulate material which will not create streaks on a ball when the same comes in contact therewith after having been hit or thrown by a player. The provision of a non-marking playing surface is particularly essential to the upper level of play in the college and professional baseball ranks so that the white leather balls used be not constantly rejected by an umpire because of streaks thereon created from the contact of the ball with the infill of the playing surface.
It has also been found that there is a need for a new synthetic grass baseball playing surface having a synthetic grass outfield surface and a synthetic grass warning track of different tangible properties to alert an outfielder focusing on a ball in flight that he is approaching an obstacle, such as an outfield fence.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a new synthetic playing surface which is less subject to creating streaks on a sport ball rolling thereon.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a new synthetic grass sport surface which more closely emulate the appearance of a natural grass sport surface.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new synthetic grass warning track to alert a player that he is approaching an obstacle.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a synthetic grass playing surface which is provided with an improved infill layer of particulate material. The infill layer preferably comprises a non-marking particulate material which is distributed so as to prevent a ball from being marked when the same hits the synthetic grass playing surface.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a synthetic grass playing surface having a lawn mowing pattern imitation formed thereon by a checkered pattern of alternating synthetic grass sections of different color tones so as to simulate different grass mowing directions and, thus, improve the resemblance to a natural grass surface.
In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synthetic grass baseball playing surface having a synthetic grass outfield surface and a synthetic grass warning track, said synthetic grass warning track having tangible properties different from that of said synthetic grass outfield surface so as to alert an outfielder stepping thereon that he is approaching an obstacle.
In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a baseball warning track comprising the steps of installing a synthetic grass outfield surface having a backing and a plurality of synthetic ribbons extending upwardly therefrom, delimiting a warning track area and an outfield grass area on the synthetic grass outfield surface, and interspersing first and second layers of infill material among the ribbons of said warning track and outfield grass areas, respectively, the first and second layers having different overall tangible properties so that an outfielder stepping on the warning track area is alerted that he is approaching an obstacle.